Pinboard (guardiantech)

Xbox 360’s Kinect causes trouble for users during next-gen livestream reveal >> Polygon

guardiantech — 2013-05-22T22:00:44+00:00

Xbox 360 Kinect owners had some trouble today watching Microsoft's Xbox One reveal due to device's response to "Xbox" commands spoken during the livestream.
Several users took to Twitter to document their problems, which included pausing, opening Xbox Live or quitting the stream entirely. Polygon's own reviews editor Arthur Gies experienced similar problems with his Kinect while watching the stream.

When the presenter said "Xbox Live", spectators' Kinects picked it up and obeyed. Nice demonstration. Let's hope nobody does "Xbox, wipe my files" in a demo. (Thanks @Nazo for the link.)

Use Kinect to teach anatomy? It's a 'Mirracle'! >> CNET Health Tech

guardiantech — 2012-02-02T06:48:51+00:00

Simply brilliant:

"Kinect hacks have been used for many a grand feat, from a tool that helps the blind navigate more easily to hands-free questing in World of Warcraft and virtual cat brushing. The Mirracle system projects a CT image onto the user's reflection to give the illusion of seeing inside one's own body. So why not integrate the powers of Microsoft Kinect with a mirror to teach such subjects as basic anatomy?

Maybe they could make it into a revision game for the Xbox 360?

Microsoft Bets Big on Kinect for Windows, But Splits Its Community | Epicenter | Wired.com

guardiantech — 2012-01-13T00:39:28+00:00

Ballmer never thought he’d be in this position — not only porting a gaming peripheral to his beloved Windows machines, or even opening it up for commercial development by other software companies, but owning it, taking control of it, and positioning it as a key component in the future of the company. Considering that a little over a year ago, Microsoft was threatening to sue and/or prosecute anyone who wanted to develop for Kinect on a PC, it’s a remarkable turnaround.

Microsoft readies new Kinect hardware for Windows PCs >> ZDNet

guardiantech — 2011-11-22T21:59:36+00:00

In time for Christmas? Don't betcha bottom dollar, but interesting nonetheless.

Kinect turned into a quadrocopter radar (video) >> Engadget

guardiantech — 2011-11-02T15:52:28+00:00

From December 2010, linked by @timacheson from the discussion about the potential for the Kinect in business. It's possible that the potential of this device to spy on Al-Qu'aeda is limited, but it shows that it doesn't have to be attached only to an Xbox.

CHAMPION JOCKEY: G1 JOCKEY & GALLOP RACER - TUTORIAL (WITH XBOX KINECT) >> YouTube

guardiantech — 2011-11-02T15:45:34+00:00

You are NOT allowed to laugh when you watch this. NO. DO NOT LAUGH. (Thanks @HanDoJin for the link.)

Welcoming Microsoft Into Your Livingroom >> Ricky Cadden

guardiantech — 2011-06-13T20:06:15+00:00

Xbox Live/Kinect all gets integrated. Not quite perfectly: "If Microsoft is really going to take over the entertainment duties for my household, they’re going to have to do better than that. I have an HTC HD7, which is powered by Windows Phone, so why can’t I let the phone scan my contacts to see if there are any matches? Why can’t I tweet or update my Facebook status automatically when I unlock achievements? If I have a game that one of my Xbox friends starts playing, there should be an option to let me know that, either via email, SMS, or an in-game alert, so that I can decide if I want to invite him/her to play."

Kinect for Windows SDK means business >> CNET News

guardiantech — 2011-04-17T21:45:50+00:00

"Microsoft had some fun while offering up details of the software development kit for Kinect for Windows. A technology evangelist named Clint Rutkas jury-rigged a lounge chair with wheels, wiring, and a Kinect motion-sensing controller for the company's Xbox 360 game console. Then, using just hand gestures, he drove the chair onto the stage at Mix11, Microsoft's annual Web and mobile phone developer conference.The Kinect SDK, though, may wind up leading to a business that's anything but trivial...
"Think about running a meeting and moving through presentation with hand gestures, instead of a handheld clicker. Or maybe a device for conference video calls that knows to shift camera angles for different speakers. And there's little doubt Microsoft will come up with applications inside products such as Office."

If - big if - the Office team supports it. They didn't (still don't) with tablets. Can Steve Ballmer persuade them to?